Hi there,
This is our regular monthly meet-up for coffee. I see this as a mostly reflective practice of seeing where I’ve been before moving into the end of the year. I hope you look forward to it as much as I do. Now, let’s get to it.
Firstly, let’s address the October of it all.
October tipped the first domino tumbling the rest in turn. It began with sickness running rampant in our house. Our son got sick and graciously passed it along to his parents. Ryan happened to take a COVID test, which was positive, on my way to work. After learning of his positive test, I was sent home from the parking lot of my office. I also tested positive, and so we convalesced at home for the next 7 days. The most disappointing part of this unexpected development was cancelling our trip to Phoenix, Arizona which was scheduled for the next week.
The Friday before taking the COVID test we came home one evening to a puddle of water surrounding the refrigerator. We pulled out all the food and transported it to my parent’s freezer and refrigerator, where they let us keep out things until ours could be fixed. We learned during our isolation the problem was much more complicated than a simple fix with one technician would allow. It took a month and a half for our refrigerator to be fixed for good.
Throughout the process of the refrigerator saga, we also dealt with our cat’s sickness. We have two cats, but this one in particular drew concern because he began to lose weight. He lost enough weight that his ribs began to show, which is highly unusual for this cat. After the vet looked him over, finally, taking our concerns over his sneezing seriously— this in itself has been a saga, getting the vet to suggest something besides maybe he’s allergic to the candles you’re burning—they determined he needed to be put under anesthesia to check his mouth for dead teeth.
Lo and behold, there were three dead teeth in his poor kitty mouth, but unsurprising to me, this did not lead to a definitive answer to the sneezing issue. His doctor suggested a CT scan might be the only way to know for sure what the cause was behind the sneezing. Unfortunately, after dropping so much money on the dental procedure alone we simply couldn’t afford the scan. I guess we’ll never know for sure what the cause of the sneezing is.
Between the constant ups and downs of our hopes for the refrigerator to finally work again, were the ups and downs of near constant sickness in our house. I know during this time there were other things happening in the world and in our country, which also concerned us, but it felt like everyday brought a new challenge for us to face (not in the fun way).
One thing I am learning about myself.
Overwhelm is my enemy. Some people become overwhelmed and step away from the task that’s triggered the feeling. Others feel overwhelmed and let their emotions fall as tear drops. Still others, sense they’re near the edge of overwhelm, but simply lack the skills to cope with it properly. *ahem* Me.
Earlier in the day from me sitting to write this, I was asked to simply write out a list of Christmas gift ideas for myself. Immediate brain paralysis. I tried turning to Amazon for ideas, but the abundance of options made my head spin. Finally, I turned to Ryan and quietly said, “I need help.” Reader, I won’t lie. This is a space of honest transparency, and when I tell you the creation of this Christmas list made me cry, I am not lying.
I know how I can be when I become overwhelmed. I snap at people trying to help me. A tightness in my chest grips me like a vice and my breath comes in uneven, short bursts. The growth I see is the recognition that I need help, and my willingness to say it out loud. I am learning that drowning in overwhelm is unnecessary when there is someone next to me ready to lift me up.
Here’s what I read in November:
My list for November is quite short. One of the books I read was much longer and took more time to finish, so I’ll include books from October, as well.
The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin
The final installment of Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy. I really enjoyed this series. It was imaginative, unique, and creative. We followed Essun through the horror of finding her son murdered by his father, and the post-apocalyptic landscape she must face to survive. Jemisin writes her main characters so they feel truly, deeply human.
Shogun, Part Two by James Clavell
I liked this book, and I’m glad I finished both books. All I’ll say is it’s a bit anti-climatic by the end. The whole story points to war breaking out, through part one and part two, but by the end of the second book the war has not begun. It’s only just beginning to be talked about in certain terms. I wished we spent less time leading up to the war and a little bit more time actually getting to it.
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
The second book in the Percy Jackson series. This is part of my middle grade fiction detour, and I am loving it. I love the characters, and the complexity behind their stories. I love the plot lines, which you don’t always see coming. Highly recommend this series if you have a young reader in your house.
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
I’ve listened to several of Foley’s books this year. She’s excellent at bringing together a cast of characters who, at first glance, seem unconnected and disparate, but through her clever writing reveal themselves to be interwoven. This book was no exception, except that it added an ominous layer over the top of the story.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Moriarty is another writer who always hits the mark in her books. Guests make their way to a remote house turned retreat spa, where they hope to spend 10 days cleansing their bodies, souls and minds of the turmoil of their real lives. I won’t spoil it for you. This book was fun to read.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
We all know the movie version of this book is probably the worst of the H. P. movies. It drags where it shouldn’t, and it leaves out some details that should’ve been included. While listening to this book, Rowling’s skill at storytelling came to life again. The heartbreak in this book brought me close to crying for real.
I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
When I started listening to this book I was expecting more comedy, less drama. The opening premise is Jolene is caught sending white ink emails to her coworkers, in which she expresses her true feelings about them. In her latest one, she forgets to white out the ink before hitting send. As a result, HR puts a program on her computer to monitor her activity, but what happens instead is she is unwittingly given access to to read-only versions of everyone’s emails and instant messages in the office. What I did not expect from this book was the levels of grief Jolene must wade through and come to terms with in order to finally allow herself to move on with her life. Parts of this book almost hit too close to home with some of my past experiences, but I truly loved this book. Five stars wouldn’t be enough.
Babel by R. F Kuang
This was another longer book. I mostly enjoyed it. The premise is interesting and creative, especially it’s use of language. The book felt like it dragged slightly as it became more preachy toward the end, but overall, I’m glad I read this book.
Leave a comment below to tell me about your month or about a book you’re reading. I’d love to hear from you.